Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Earth Science News .




WATER WORLD
Radiation, climate force Bikini Islanders to seek US refuge
by Staff Writers
Majuro (AFP) Marshall Islands (AFP) March 22, 2015


Unable to return to Bikini, the islanders are now faced with increasingly heavy flooding from high tides and storms hitting Kili and Ejit with waves washing over the islands and wiping out food crops.

A tiny central Pacific community, forced to evacuate their homes because of US nuclear testing, are now demanding refuge in the United States as they face a new threat from climate change.

"We want to relocate to the United States," Nishma Jamore, mayor of the atoll of Bikini, said on the weekend as Pacific waters continued to eat away at the small Kili and Ejit islands in the far-flung Marshall Islands archipelago.

Jamore heads a community of about 1,000 islanders who have lived in exile on the islands for decades because their original homeland of Bikini remains too radioactive for resettlement.

There were 24 nuclear tests conducted on the atoll in the 1950s, including "Bravo", the largest hydrogen bomb detonation conducted by the United States.

Unable to return to Bikini, the islanders are now faced with increasingly heavy flooding from high tides and storms hitting Kili and Ejit with waves washing over the islands and wiping out food crops.

Jamore voiced their concerns to US Assistant Secretary of Interior Esther Kia'aina during her visit to the Marshall's capital of Majuro this month.

"We want to relocate to the United States," Jamore said. "Kili has been repeatedly flooded since 2012 and we've asked the Marshall Islands government for help with no response."

There is also serious concern over a recent legislative move by the Marshall's parliament, known as the Nitijela, to take authority for Ejit Island away from the Bikinians.

The latest flooding at Kili hit last month during annual high tides, and Jamore described the island's airport runway as like "the Nile River" as water flooded over it.

- Runway flooded -

As the floods damaged houses and damaged crops, the 1.6 kilometre (one mile) long runway, which is 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) above sea level, disappeared beneath about 25 centimetres of saltwater.

This is the second time Bikini Islanders have called to be resettled in the United States.

In the 1980s, following an aborted resettlement on Bikini atoll that ended with the islanders exposed to high levels of radiation, they attempted to buy a tract of land on Maui in the state of Hawaii for resettlement.

The plan was vetoed when it ran into considerable opposition from Maui residents, but it is gathering steam again because of the damage to homes and agriculture caused by repeated flooding of Kili and Ejit in recent years.

"We're going to Washington next month," Jamore said, insisting he would take the plan to the US government.

Arkansas, Oklahoma and Hawaii have been identified as ideal locations as they are already home to significant populations of Bikini islanders.

Jamore and other Bikini Council executives want to use the US-funded Bikini Trust Fund to purchase property for the resettlement.

Currently the Fund allows for property purchase only in the Marshall Islands, but Jamore said they have asked the Interior Department to change the agreement so they can buy land in the United States.

"This will give the people options for education and jobs," he said.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle




Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News





WATER WORLD
Frequency of tornadoes, hail linked to El Nino, La Nina
New York NY (SPX) Mar 17, 2015
Climate scientists can spot El Nino and La Nina conditions developing months ahead of time, and they use this knowledge to make more accurate forecasts of droughts, flooding and even hurricane activity around the world. Now, a new study shows that El Nino and La Nina conditions can also help predict the frequency of tornadoes and hail storms in some of the most susceptible regions of the United ... read more


WATER WORLD
UN disaster meet criticised for lack of targets

Rapid coastal population growth may leave many exposed to sea-level rise

Aid starts flowing to Vanuatu as remote islands plead for help

Mount Fuji climbers should wear helmets: Japan officials

WATER WORLD
Fluid-filled pores separate materials with fine precision

Researchers collaborate to develop revolutionary 3-D printing technology

A call to change recycling standards as 3-D printing expands

Molecule-making machine simplifies complex chemistry

WATER WORLD
Gulf of Mexico marine food web changes over the decades

Rare glimpse into how coral procreates could aid future conservation

West Coast waters shifting to lower-productivity regime

Britain to create world's biggest protected marine reserve

WATER WORLD
Past warming increased snowfall on Antarctica, affecting global sea level

In climatic tug of war, carbon released from thawing permafrost wins handily

First global review on the status, future of Arctic marine mammals

Blue blood on ice - How an Antarctic octopus survives the cold

WATER WORLD
Too haute to handle? French cuisine hard to swallow in China

Hangover for Bordeaux wines as Chinese demand dries up

Hidden greenhouse emissions revealed in new Board of Agriculture report

Cropping Africa's wet savannas would bring high environmental costs

WATER WORLD
Predicting the extent of flash flooding

Advances of alternating EM field for earthquake monitoring in China

Predicting which African storms will intensify into hurricanes

Aid effort kicks in after 'monster' cyclone ravages Vanuatu

WATER WORLD
DRCongo, UN Security Council at loggerheads over troop drawdown

Mali rebels hopeful of 'decisive' meeting on peace deal

UN probe finds 'ruthless repression', rights abuses in Eritrea

Mali rebels ask to meet mediators to improve peace deal

WATER WORLD
Scientist hopes vest will broaden range of human senses

Chimpanzees will travel for preferred foods, innovate solutions

New genetic evidence resolves origins of modern Japanese

Wealth and power may have played a stronger role than 'survival of the fittest'




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.